Seasonal Staff/ Apprentice

Seasonal Staff/ Apprentice

Join the Thai Yoga Center’s Staff!

Now is the time to apply for a volunteer position at The Thai Yoga Center if you wish to make a commitment to development and you have a desire to focus your energy on worthwhile and meaningful work. Join us if you are interested in sharing the joy’s and challenges of living and working in a unique and vibrant community organization dedicated to expanding consciousness.

What is The Thai Yoga Center?

We are a holistic learning and retreat center. Our founders have been at the forefront of personal and professional development. We believe that each individual creates his or her own development path. Our mission is to present a wide exposure to many traditions and perspectives, offering support toward the goal of health and well being. We follow the precepts of holism emphasizing equality of mind, body and spirit and the four precepts of …Love, Compassion, Joy and Equanimity. The Thai Yoga Center is an all volunteer project. There are no paid employees! That’s right , the teachers, directors and helpers are all volunteers. Everything we have done, built and created for TYC is based on volunteers assistance. (Please note that under no circumstances is an offer to accept a volunteer an offer of employment.)

Our Seasonal Staff come here each year to take workshops and professional development programs in such diverse areas as arts and crafts, herbalism, spiritual studies and stewardship.
Our facility is located in the beautiful Tampa Bay, Plant City Area.

Who Should Apply?

The Thai Yoga Center is committed to Staff diversity. We encourage people of any age (21 and over), gender, national origin, race, sexual orientation and spiritual belief to apply. A season with us is an excellent way for college students to gain work and life skills while on summer break. Many staff in mid-life find that a season here could be a great way to productively spend time between job or life changes. It is an ideal for vital and active retirees who would desire to participate in community living offering experience and support to the younger staff. You must be an adult and able to be responsible, following guidance and directives of senior volunteers. You must be someone who is able to be completely responsible for your own mental, emotional and physical welfare at all times. Volunteering is not to be construed as therapy or instruction. It is a free gift to the community.

Please note: All work study positions are only offered to recent or past graduates of at least one CTP program. If you want to work/study/apprentice please submit your former attendance dates with any email or application.

The Staff Experience

Our Developmental Philosophy

People desire to join TYC staff to work and grow alongside individuals with shares goals and beliefs. We believe that personal development occurs most deeply when the issues of work, the needs of the individual, and the boundaries of the community are fully integrated.

A season at TYC offers a unique opportunity for hard work, personal growth, spiritual exploration, and community building. The Seasonal Staff experience falls into the following three overlapping areas:

The Work

Although our mission is about spirit and pursuit of consciousness, TYC is also a business. We contribute to the world and our community by providing opportunities for the uplifting and education of individuals. In support of our mission, everyone on staff works hard. Each contribution is necessary for the success of TYC. Signing on for a job with us means making a full commitment to a 30-40 hour work week . The work you do will consume much of your time and energy while here. Although your job assignment may not fit into your notion of a developmental experience, we suggest that you view your work life as your tailor made workshop and opportunity to work on yourself and your core issues in a supportive environment. There is much to be learned about communication, self-respect and responsibility as well as service in all work opportunities. If you bring a positive attitude and a willingness to learn, you will get valuable life experience.

The Individual

Inner work is the journey of self examination and introspection. It challenges us to take responsibility for our own lives, to look deeply into our strengths and weaknesses, and to learn how to live in community with creativity, harmony, and humor. Joining the TYC staff is an excellent opportunity to pursue this kind of spiritual work in an active and practical way.

The Community

There is an impressive depth of feeling that occurs when hundreds of people gather together to live, work, and grow. But there are also many challenges. Living and working with others in close quarters over a period of several months an magnify personal issues and bring up questions about individual freedom.

As in any community, there are standards and rules. They are based on mutual respect, honoring agreements and maintaining safety. Individual needs are often weighed against the needs of the whole community. Our boundaries though broad enough to allow a large amount of personal expression, are firm.

Please release any pre-conceived ideas about what community is or should be. Everyone who joins TYC contributes to what the group experiences as “community” . TYC staff changes from year to year, and is comprised of real people with real human strengths and frailties.

Staff Information

Education and development

We welcome seekers of all levels. The more experienced will find an environment that enhances their development; those just beginning their personal exploration will find encouragement and direction on their journey.

Though our staff education program we are committed to providing a curriculum that is meaningful, diverse, and stimulating. The curriculum is designed to support your process of self-discovery. During the season, several courses taught by respected faculty are available for you to select from. Topics include the intense gardening and landscaping programs.

Staff Life

Picture yourself in a lovely rural setting in the beautiful West Florida countryside. You may find yourself engaged in fascinating conversations or debates with extraordinary persons. There are many diverse and practical opportunities for learning new skills and personal growth. Being at TYC can be an intense and demanding. The key is to seek and find harmony and balance in all of the experiences possible here.

Life and work here are rich informational and experiential resources, as are your fellow staff members. All staff members bring something valuable to share which results in a vital and diverse offering and exchange of talents and resources, talents, skills and information.

The staff community is many different things to different people. Everyone who comes here needs to take responsibility for his or her own experience and for helping to create the TYC community at large. Our staff are our day to day representatives of those principles which we most want to convey to our honored guests.

Work Life

Jobs and Requirements

Each day there are many tasks to be done to keep TYC running smoothly. The work itself is sometimes very basic and often strenuous, such as the jobs in maintenance, permaculture, construction, landscaping and gardening, housekeeping, food service and luggage handling. There are also a number of jobs in administration. For these, we need staff with office, customer service, and / or retail experience. These positions require good communication skills and patience; some require computer literacy. In addition, we need first aid staff, as well as qualified people in a limited number of supervisory positions.

While many of our jobs are rudimentary, they provide valuable life skills for both the inexperienced and veteran worker. The team building, problem solving, and group dynamic processes learned will translate productively in many other situations.

The Service ethic:

If we can approach whatever task is assigned with the view that we’re making an offering of service to our guests and to each other, our work becomes more meaningful.

Our commitment to You

All volunteer and Karma Yoga is considered a free donation. A certificate of completion showing you have worked with a cooperative, farming, and holistic educational program and residential community will be provided at the end of your stay if all prerequisites are satisfactory and complete. Educational programs participated in are separate for certification purposes.

Housing

1. Full time: Receive a 50% discount on the current monthly rate for camping and or dorm annex housing options, as available, on a first come basis. Housing must be paid 30 days in advance of arrival. Camping (staff must bring their own tents and necessary camping gear). Yurts and/or Domes, simply furnished may be available at extra cost, with shared bath and kitchen facility. Dorms and or dorm annex spaces/ rooms are limited to returning staff and managerial staff. Travel trailor or motorized camper space is limited and must be pre-approved. For housing cost go to: Housing

2. Part Time: Receive a 25% discount on the current monthly rate for camping and or dorm annex housing options. Housing must be paid 30 days in advance of arrival. Camping (staff must bring their own tents and necessary camping gear). Housing

Meals

Meals and or food are not included. However, on-site volunteers may participate in our standard meal plan at a discount. All volunteers are expected to assist in meal planning and preparation as part of the learning and service process.

Land and Facilities

1. Full use of the Bath House, detached kitchen, library, walking trails, etc.

Volunteer Curriculum

1. Participate in the specially designed staff classes in esoteric studies, the arts, alternative health, body work and Yoga Therapy, Thai Yoga and Thai Massage, gardening, landscaping, construction, building and design, etc.

3. One two-day available catalog workshop ( for a full time, full season commitment only). Full time volunteers are eligible and may apply for admission to a CTP1 program after a minimum of 3 months of service in advance. Please note: We do not allow prospective volunteers to attend classes first and volunteer later!

4. Access to TYC concerts, drum circles, dances, catalog sampler classes, sweats, gatherings and other events as announced during the season. On site activities, gatherings, festivals etc. not directly sponsored or hosted by TYC are available at the rate specified by the hosts and or individual sponsors

Waiver and disclaimer of responsibility (The fine print)

All volunteers and/or participants agrees that the sponsoring organization, and/ or their agents and suppliers, including other volunteers and seasonal staff etc. shall not be liable for any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity, liability or expense to person or property and or person due to act of default of any private home, hotel, guest house, carrier, restaurant, company or person providing or rendering any of the services included in the programs offered at or in conjunction with SCNM: The Thai Yoga Center. The published RPG’s or agreements and the published cancellation and or refund policy shall constitute the sole agreement and or contract between such provider and students and volunteers or seasonal staff.

Any participation in any potentially risky activities is at the participants’ sole discretion and responsibility. This includes during personal time outside of the regular scope and practice of programs and classes.

The right is reserved to cancel or change plans, programs and or program content, itineraries or substitute services or personnel, to change by adding or deleting content or focus of any program or activity whether in class or outside of class, without notice or explanation and to decline to accept or retain, any student and/or volunteer at any time, before, during or after completion of this or any other sponsored class, program or project. Any student and or volunteer who presents difficulty or risk to the the good will of the venture, or personal safety of the director or of the other participants, at the directors discretion will be summarily dismissed from the group and property, without recourse or refund of any kind.

As a participant in this program and or any ONACS, SCNM: Thai Yoga Center class, classes or program, whether participating as Volunteer, Work Study, Karma Yoga practitioner, Student at Large, Certificate or Diploma candidate, I certify that I am an adult, over the age of 21 and understand that these terms are binding, and as an agreement between the providers and myself is a pre-condition toward my participation in this training program, as previously noted in the specific web registration page, offering solicitation and/ or official class and or course/ program description (Separate itinerary issued for Thailand Only), previously received and reviewed on this website. I understand that all cancellation and refunds will be based on this ONACS Inc. published Cancellation and Refund policy. I am of legal age and able to participate in this agreement responsibly.